Luxembourg

Luxembourg Travel Guide

It's easy to overlook the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
when planning a tour of Europe, dwarfed as it is by its neighbours
France, Germany, and Belgium. In the global imagination, Luxembourg
features as a country known for important banking institutions and
European Union bureaucrats.

However, this little country is located at the
crossroads of several major European highways, and if you have
reason to travel through it, don't hesitate to stop awhile and
probe behind the glass office blocks and official buildings to find
a land of fascinating medieval fortresses, rolling woodlands,
sun-drenched castles, and quaint villages.

The entire country is only 51 miles (85km) long and
32 miles (52km) wide, but there is a lot in this small package. The
Ardennes region is hilly, densely forested and dotted with medieval
castles, best known for being the site of the World War II Battle
of the Bulge.

The Mullerthal area is great for hiking, with a
landscape of curious sandstone rock formations, waterfalls and
forest. The Moselle wine-growing region is picturesque and famed
for its white wines while Luxembourg City has grown up around an
ancient fortified citadel in a setting that's unique and strangely
beautiful.

The Grand Duchy also has a booming fine-dining scene,
including a number of prestigious Michelin-starred restaurants.
Luxembourg's long history is concerned mainly with warding off and
withstanding invasion, occupation and siege, which is perhaps why
its people seem a little more conservative than their
neighbours.

This is no more evident in the national motto that
reads: 'We want to remain what we are'. For travellers, the
advantage of this stoic traditionalism is the country's dedication
to preserving history and culture, and the many traditional parades
and festivals to attend.